text:
By Amie Newman, RH Reality Check
A small group of women in colorful shirts, jeans and skirts stands in a circle, singing and clapping. Some are smiling. All are dancing, shaking their bodies to the sound of their voices strong and loud. One woman dances in the middle, spinning. They are singing in French and it could be a celebration of some sort. In a way, it is. It's a celebration of their power, as they unify to protect themselves and all women who live in post-earthquake Hatiian displacement camps from sexual assault, rape and other gender-based violence. Some are members of KOFAVIV (being filmed [14] by representives of sister organization Madre), a Hatiian women's organization working to end sexual violence and seek justice for rape survivors. In conjunction with other women's organizations on the ground, and U.S.-based sister organizations, they are committed to protecting the women and girls living in the displacement camps from gender-based violence, from which the government has been unable or unwilling to do so. As RH Reality Check reported [15] on in July of this year, women and girls have been the target of "skyrocketing" incidences "of rape in the camps" and are suffering from "the lack of a coordinated or effective response to these persistent threats." Up until recently, KOFAVIV and other women's advocates have been effectively shut out of the discussions between aid agencies and the government on how best to protect themselves, in the camps. Slowly, however, things may be changing.
In late July, a group of organizations including the Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti, and Madre, issued a report on the sexual violence against women in Haiti entitled Our Bodies Are Still Trembling: Haitian Women Fight Against Rape [16] detailing the current conditions for women and girls in the camps and the lack of an adequate response from government and aid agencies:
Conditions in the IDP camps in Port‐au‐Prince are bleak. Overcrowding, lack of privacy, and weakened family and community structures, among other things, render women and girls particularly vulnerable to rape and other sexual violence. Women and girls live in inadequate shelter, often sleeping on the ground under nothing more than a tarp or blanket, with no means of protection and no friends close by. They bathe in public, in view of men and boys. Many young girls live alone or with friends, with no adults looking after them.
Women and girls are most often attacked at night. One woman reported having been kidnapped from her tent, in the dark of night, gang-raped and beaten. Survivors of the sexual violence are suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, and a range of physical discomfort including:
"…stomach pain, headaches, difficulty walking, and vaginal infection and bleeding. At least one woman became pregnant as a result of the rape. Only one woman reported that her attacker wore a condom. Of the few women that had been tested for HIV, results were negative. In addition to the rapes, many women and girls interviewed suffered beatings, stabbings and other injuries in the course of the attacks and had scars and other visible injuries to show."
Most of the women and girls interviewed for the report had not sought medical care not only because they were unaware of where to locate or how to access services but because rape carries tremendous stigma in Haitian society and women are "embarrassed or…felt uncomfortable. When victims did reach out, they were often shunned or ignored." The report also discloses that some clinics did not offer services such as HIV prophylaxis or emergency contraception to women seeking care, effectively leaving them with no recourse to protect against infection or pregnancy.
Women who are victims of sexual violence in the camps see virtually no justice, either. Not only has the loss of police officers and police stations affected reporting of rape, but the lack of female police officers has also contributed to the silence around rape. Though each station is supposed to have female officers to whom women can report a crime, that hasn't been the case and it's having a "cascade effect":
"…in some instances, [law enforcement] officials attributed the problem of rape to promiscuity and domestic violence. This antipathy has a cascading effect; victims perceive law enforcement as ineffective or unsympathetic and, consequently, fail to report crimes. Government officials in turn insist that no such "epidemic" of gender‐based violence exists, and allocate even fewer resources to address it."
This lack of an efficient tracking system also contributes to criminal cases rarely being pursued, "resulting in a culture of total impunity for rapists and criminal gangs who continue to prey on women and girls in the camps."
In the absence of an adequate response from both the Haitian government as well as aid agencies, KOFAVIV, Madre, and other women's organizations have collectively organized to implement strategies, on the ground, to keep women and girls safe from sexual violence. And they are having an impact.
For example, most recently, notes Madre, "we delivered a package of donations — including medical supplies, flashlights and whistles — to our partners in Haiti, KOFAVIV [17]. Using these supplies, gathered through MADRE's Helping Hands program [18], they have been able to create local security measures that help prevent rapes in the camps for displaced people in Haiti. They have also been able to provide for the basic needs of women and families." When rape survivors are in need of medical attention or legal aid, KOFAVIV steps in as best they can to facilitate referrals and provide support.
Photo of Haitian women accepting whistles and flashlights courtesy of Madre
Inadequate lighting in the camps is one factor in the continued sexual violence. The report notes that UN agencies distributed thousands of solar lamps to "ensure proper lighting of latrines and camp facilities." The United Nations "sub-cluster" on gender-based violence offered that the Haitian National Police (HNP) were patrolling camps on foot to improve security measures as a response to the sexual violence. However, this does not jibe with what women and girls in the camps report as a "consistent lack of security and lighting." So, once again, the women of KOFAVIV have organized volunteer security patrols [19] escorting women to bathrooms and showers at night.
Diana Duarte of Madre told RH Reality Check that the UN gender-based violence sub-cluster, in addition to more foot patrols, has most recently "committed to installing lighting in the camps that are currently without and that are reporting high levels of rape." Given what many have said about a lack of follow through or signficant impact of some of these promises, Duarte is cautiously optimistic, "We're working right now with KOFAVIV to track whether that commitment becomes reality and to demand accountability if it does not."
It's not only the immediate committment to improving conditions that are a priority. Haitian women who live in the camps and have been the victims of sexual violence themselves have testified in front of the UN about their experiences and the critical importance of including women's groups in the efforts to prevent and end the violence. Duarte told RH Reality Check that when she was in Haiti, at the end of July, her organization was working with the women of KOFAVIV to also "demand inclusion in the processes taking place, guided by the UN, to address sexual violence in the camps."
"Up until that point, they had been very much excluded from meetings that had first taken place at a UN base at some distance from the city. Then, when the meetings were recently moved to a closer location, they were still held in French, when most of the grassroots women's groups are most comfortable in Kreyol," says Duarte.
Women's organizations – Haitian women's advocates on the ground – have been "shunted to the side" when it comes to agenda setting, in response to the diaster. As RH Reality Check previously reported,
"In March, the international community came together in a "landmark" donor conference [20] to set an agenda for rebuilding Haiti and women's groups in Haiti, women's voices, were nowhere to be seen or heard [21]."
In response, the women of KOFAVIV and their allies have made it their business to continue to speak up about remaining a part of the planning. Duarte says that when they [the women of KOFAVIV] were finally able to attend the UN meeting on gender-based violence in Haiti:
"one of the KOFAVIV leaders (a woman named Eramithe Delva) stood up and made a really strong intervention, in which she spoke about the temporary security measures that women have set up in the camps (including distributing whistles and flashlights and setting up community watch groups) and about the scale of sexual violence these groups have been documenting. In that meeting, she was able to secure an invitation from one of the organizers of the UN group (called a sub-cluster) on gender-based violence to include KOFAVIV and other grassroots groups in future meetings." [emphasis added]
Whether that will happen remains to be seen but it is a step forward. In the meantime, there are still conflicting reports about just what and how much is actually being done on the part of UN aid agencies, the United Nations sub-cluster on gender-based violence, and the Haitian National Police to prevent more rape and other sexual violence from occurring.
Women living in the camps and women's advocacy organizations continue to do their part – distributing whistles and flashlights, and medical supplies. [22] When the supplies arrive the women sit, in a circle, on plastic buckets which rest on the dusty ground of the camps, sharing stories and offering support in their efforts to protect themselves from the sexual violence; and they dance, sing and clap in recognition that they are and they have no other choice but to be powerful sources of strength for each other, in the absence of an adequate international response to the unacceptable conditions under which they survive.
Click HERE to see the Original Article


text:
Ambre Éternel Collector
Eau de Parfum
A limited edition, an ode to noble and precious Grey Amber
Indisponible -
Guerlain House Perfumer Thierry Wasser drew inspiration from the treasures of the East to create Ambre Eternel, a powerful sillage that makes the ideal scent for men and women alike. The main ingredient in this amber accord is Ambergris, which gives Ambre Eternel its sensual, voluptuous character. The amber accord then unfolds, roused by the spicy facets of cardamom and coriander, before delicately melting into a blend of orange blossom absolute, leather and woody notes.
For this limited edition, the bottle is dressed in a golden lacquer and a new calligraphy sticker inspired by the East.
Woody oriental. Vibrant, noble, captivating.Top notes: Ambergris, spicy notes (coriandre, cinnamon, cardamom) Heart notes: Orange Blossom, Ylang Ylang, fruity notes Base notes: woody notes, leather note, amber notes
Ambergris, Orange blossom,Woody notes
Ambergris is a rare and precious raw ingredient, naturally secreted by the whale, whose fine qualities are revealed after several years' oxidation under the action of seawater and the sun's rays. Thierry Wasser meticulously chose different blocks of ambergris on the basis of their iodine, warm or animal scent to create an exceptional blend, known as a communelle, and thereby obtain the perfect amber note. This note, traditionally extracted through a maceration process, will be used in the fragrance's composition in the form of a tincture to preserve all of its purity.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
Academic Policy Details
Quality Points and GPA
The academic grade point average (GPA) is determined by multiplying the quality points assigned to each letter grade (A = 4; B = 3; C = 2; D = 1; F = 0) by the credit for each course. The resulting total quality points divided by credit hours attempted produces the grade point average. The grade of F carries no quality points but the credits attempted are calculated into the student's grade point average. Grades of I, CR, W, WP, and WF, do not carry quality points, are not tabulated as hours attempted, and do not affect the grade point average.
These policies apply to the Semester Program/On Campus students only. Graduate College Students will need to consult the Graduate College Bulletin.


text:
NEW YORK (AP) Amare Stoudemire is making his season debut and Carmelo Anthony is back in the starting lineup for the New York Knicks against Portland.
Stoudemire will come off the bench as he plays his way back into shape following left knee surgery Oct. 31. Both Stoudemire and coach Mike Woodson said the forward's minutes would be limited in Tuesday night's game.
``It's been a long time coming. I've been so ready to play, I put in so much hard work this offseason and then to have to sit out for the first half of this season, but now to be back, I'm so ready to go,'' Stoudemire said. ``I'm ready to provide whatever my team needs to improve, so that's what I'm here for.''
Anthony missed two games with a hyperextended left knee, an injury that occurred in the Knicks' loss to the Lakers on Christmas. The Knicks are still without point guard Raymond Felton because of a broken right pinky, and Rasheed Wallace remains out with a sore left foot.
That makes Stoudemire's return even more important for the Knicks, though it was unclear how much he would play. Woodson would only say it would be less than 30 minutes. Stoudemire said he wasn't worried about warming up and then going back to the bench at the start, though Woodson said it was something to monitor.
``That's always a concern, but again, it's what we're faced with,'' Woodson said. ``That's why big minutes at the early stage of him going through this process won't be to his advantage, so we've just got to slowly work him back in.''
Woodson said he wasn't sure who he wanted Stoudemire to play with, or whether the reserve role would remain permanent.
``I'm not going to discuss that. I mean, first things first. We've got to get him back on the floor and get him acclimated to what we're doing, and then we'll go from there,'' Woodson said.
With Stoudemire sidelined, Anthony has slid into his power forward spot and flourished, averaging 28.5 points in leading the Knicks to a 21-9 start. The Knicks have had little success with the two stars playing together, and Woodson could try to avoid that problem by splitting them as much as possible.
However, he has said the Knicks need to have both on the floor to truly contend for an NBA title. He sent Stoudemire to work on his low-post skills this summer, hoping that could become a bigger part of his game.
Stoudemire hardly got to use what he learned, appearing in just one preseason game before having the surgery to clean up loose tissue in his knee. He practiced with the Knicks twice since they returned from their Western trip and decided now was the time to play, even while not yet feeling 100 percent.
``To get back out there now will be great for me to really get my feet wet and see how it goes,'' Stoudemire said.


text:
Europe's first rate hike in many years
Since the November 7th, 2013 anniversary of the Great October Socialist Revolution, the Czech National Bank (ČNB) artificially weakened the Czech currency and kept it weaker than 27 crowns per euro. During the 3+ years up to April 6th, 2017 when the cap was finally abandoned, the Czech National Bank quadrupled its Forex reserves so right now, Czechia's $143 billion of foreign reserves make us the 18th "most reserved" country in the world, almost tied with Italy, and safely beating the likes of the United States of America or Europe (ECB). ;-)
Ms Emmy Destinn née Kittlová (almost like Motlová) on our $90 banknote. She and Dinh Gilly uploaded a nice audio to YouTube in 1914 with the Czech anthem, 4 years before it became the anthem. The lyrics were a bit different.
The CZKexit came too late – but it was because the board members had unwisely extended a commitment back in 2016. On April 6th, there was no doubt that it was needed to remove the weird Chinese-style policy. Since that time, the EURCZK rate went down more or less smoothly from the cap level of 27 to 26 or so, confirming all my qualitative predictions and debunking many analysts' delusions about "a huge volatility with rate jumping between 24 and 30" and similar crackpottery.
Today, the analysts were already aligned with my predictions and a slight majority of them expected a rate hike today. At 1 pm today, the Czech National Bank indeed published their decision to make the first rate hike in Europe in recent years. The key "2T [=two-week] repo" rate was lifted from 0.05% (our "technical zero") to 0.25%. It was the first Czech rate hike since 2008.
The crown only appreciated modestly, by some 0.5%, to 25.95 per euro or so. Note that because the euro has strengthened vis-a-vis the dollar, the strengthening of the Czech crown relatively to the U.S. dollar looks rather dramatic. The dollar went from 26 in January to CZK 21.9 now.
Mojmír Hampl, the ČNB board member whose transformation into a "treacherous dove" in late 2013 made the interventions barely possible, wasn't participating at the meeting today. He could be proposing to delay the first rate hike. The remaining six members were probably more reasonable.
One of the arguments of the ultra-doves is that the European Central Bank will wait before it hikes the rates for the first time. I think that this argument is rubbish. ČNB isn't controlling the European currency, it's only controlling the Czech one and that is used in the Czech economy. That economy differs from the European one – and pretty dramatically – so the rates should be changed differently and at different moments, too. We and our ČNB just can't be just a parrot of some guys in ECB.
The fundamental reasons to hike the rates are obvious. The inflation is around 2.5%, robustly above the 2% target even though it's still within the 1%-3% window. But truth to be said, Czechs' optimally optimistic inflation rate would be a deflation around 1%-2%.
Perhaps more importantly, the Czech unemployment rate is 2.9% now, by far the lowest one in Europe. Germany is second – at 3.8%. For quite some time, Czechia and Germany would display a statistical tie but as you can see, it's no longer the case. The two numbers differ robustly. The European average is around 9% while the Greeks are closer to 20%. Czech companies are struggling to find employees and there are huge pressures to increase the wages.
Aside from the widespread economic optimism (and the correspondingly fast increase of the people's spending for better food, very fast increase of prices in restaurants etc.), the increase of the wages – which include the public sector due to the populist government – are likely to cause additional increases of the inflation rate in the future. I personally find the 2.9% unemployment rate pathologically low. The availability of workers is important for the economy to work well. I would probably consider the 5% rate to be better than 2.9%.
On top of that, the decade of the cheap money has kickstarted another real estate bubble. In recent year or two, the Czech houses' and apartments' prices are growing by some 15% a year – which is also the robustly highest rate in Europe. The increasing rates have a chance to make mortgages a bit less accessible and reduce the demand for apartments.
Because of all these reasons, the today's rate hike could also be said to be too little, too late. The increase by 0.5% would have been better today. But at least they got the correct sign today.
Thursday, August 03, 2017 ... //
ČNB finally notices that the Czech economy is overheated
Europe's first rate hike in many years
Vystavil Luboš Motl v 1:36 PM |
snail feedback (0) :
To subscribe to this single disqus thread only, click at ▼ next to "★ 0 stars" at the top of the disqus thread above and choose "Subscribe via RSS".
Subscribe to: new TRF blog entries (RSS)


text:
Inspiration, ideas and information to help women build public speaking content, confidence and credibility. Denise Graveline is a Washington, DC-based speaker coach who has coached nearly 200 TEDMED and TEDx speakers--including one of 2016's most popular TED talks. She also has prepared speakers for presentations, testimony, and keynotes. She offers 1:1 coaching and group workshops in public speaking, presentation and media interview skills to both men and women.
Tuesday, April 21, 2009
speaking is a state of mind
4 stepping stones to get speaking practice
Not ready for a keynote speech, big presentation, commencement address? Finding it hard to get booked for a speech or get on the program at a conference? No worries. If you're not ready for a prime-time slot as a speaker, but still want to get some practice, try these smaller stepping stones on your path toward public speaking:
- Ask a question when someone else is speaking. As an audience member asking a question, you have the goal of getting the speaker to speak more, rather than yourself. You can plan your question ahead of time, whether that's hours before or while the speaker's talk is happening. Stand up, ask it, sit down and listen. Easiest speaking role ever, but also a good way to stand out--albeit briefly--at a major presentation without having to give the talk yourself.
- Offer to be master of ceremonies or event chair: Unless you're Ellen DeGeneres hosting a major awards show, this tends to be the most scripted and brief role at an event. You'll open and welcome the group, make any housekeeping announcements, introduce presenters or speakers, thank them when they're done, perhaps note there's just time for one more question. This role offers great visibility without requiring a long talk, and you'll be thanked roundly if you limit your remarks and keep the trains running on time.
- Step up to moderating a panel: Does this sound similar to emcee or event chair? Not really. For one thing, moderators often are treated as one of the panel and remain up front during the panelists' presentations, so this role may be a more visible practice opportunity. Moderators often are chosen for their own depth of knowledge on a topic, as well as the ability to make those speakers stay on time. Take it a bit further to show your expertise by weaving in your own observations--but do so only briefly--when making a transition from one panelist to the next. "Joe has just shared with us the first steps you take in this process, and in my experience, those are formidable. Now I'd like to ask Ann to take us to the next level: How can you excel at these tasks and advance your career?" Also remember that moderators lead the question and answer session, so you can practice moving your eye contact around the room to call on people in all areas of the space. You also can take the moderator's prerogative to sum up several identical questions, pose a question to the audience to take some heat off the panelists, or simply guide the discussion.
- Be a panelist: Think of being a panelist as a shared-speaker role: You're only responsible for one-third (or less) of the talking. This takes extra preparation, and you should ask your moderator to organize a planning call with the other speakers, or at least a clear idea of the role she wants you to play. Panelists always wind up with Q&A sessions, and you should practice joining in an answer, or leaving others to the other panelists--there's no need for everyone on the podium to respond.
Have you tried any or all of these steps on the way to a full-length speech? Share your experiences in the comments. If not, try each of these steps and use them to get comfortable (and noticed) as a speaker.


text:
About New Balance
Engineered to be versatile and durable, our New Balance Eyewear collection seamlessly blends cool fashion with performance. Each frame features the attractive, sylized elements while still maintaining it's performance edge.
CoolFrames Designer Eyewear Boutique is an authorized New Balance online retailer. All frames are guaranteed to be defect-free and authentic. We will replace any defective or damaged items to ensure 100% satisfaction. Our in-house optical lab can install custom prescription lenses into any eyeglass frame and many sunglass styles. We specialize in Essilor presciption lenses including Varilux Progressives, Transitions as well as Crizal Alize and Sapphire (Forte) Anti-Reflective coatings.


text:
New York City Diamond District 14K gold 5mm round blue sapphire with 1/6 cttw diamond halo earrings
$1,159 $3,865
People from all around the world come to the famous New York City Diamond District for high-end, top quality jewelry. The New York City Diamond District (NYCDD™) Collection provides the same expertly manufactured jewelry—and the same amazing values—without leaving your home! Designed by master artisans, and featuring premium gemstones and diamonds expertly selected and matched by GIA certified gemologists, each NYCDD™ piece is hand set and finished by premier jewelers. Shop the NYCDD™ Gemstone Jewelry Collection for affordable prices on fine jewelry from the same people who produce for celebrities, athletes, and business professionals worldwide. Color: Sapphire. Gender: Female.
Browse all deals at Kmart
See more in Earrings
* This offer may contain time-sensitive information and offers. Please check with Kmart to confirm actual price & availability.
Please enter your name
- Be the first to comment!
1 location
2985 Cottingham Expwy
2985 Cottingham Expwy
Pineville, LA 71360


text:
Team Effort Clemson Tigers CVX Ball Mark Divot Repair Tool, Multicolor
$13.50 $15
With a 19-degree angle and convex curve, this Clemson Tigers ball marker divot repair tool lets you rip it on the course like a pro. Includes two iron stamped ball markers Ergonomic design with custom contoured rails Textured indent for secure thumb placement Magnetic front holds ball markers Metal Imported Shop our full assortment of Clemson Tigers items here. When you're a fan, you're family! Size: One Size. Color: Multicolor. Gender: Male.
Browse all deals at Kohl's
See more in Golf & Golf Accessories
* This offer may contain time-sensitive information and offers. Please check with Kohl's to confirm actual price & availability.
Please enter your name
- Be the first to comment!
1 location
3707 North Vermilion St
3707 North Vermilion St
Danville, IL 61832


text:
Kov-Kov is a member of the Russian Mafia in Anywhere City in Grand Theft Auto 2. He has a pin in his left leg and an eye patch following being caught in the blast of a terrorist grenade. His criminal record shows that he is suspected of an explosion at a police headquarters in 1997 and a car bomb attack on a rival porn dealer in 1998. He is a compulsive gambler, hangs out at Russian casinos and backstreet strip joints, has numerous dancer girlfriends, and is secretly addicted to Zaibatsu Play-drugs. He goes by the aliases of "The Spy", "The Scum" and "The Insect".
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


text:
Scran Trial Licence
This is available for educational users in the UK only. Complete the details fully and press submit. Access details will be emailed to you.
Scottish School Teachers at Home: Get Free Home Account.
University Teachers or Students at Home: Get your UK Federation account from your institution.


text:
Scarlett Johansson failed her audition for hit movie musical Les Miserables after she was struck down with a nasty throat condition.
The actress was in the running to play Fantine in Tom Hooper's big screen adaptation of the beloved stage show but the role eventually went to Anne Hathaway, who has received a slew of awards and nominations for her performance.
Johansson admits she was desperate to play the tragic prostitute, but a bad bout of laryngitis left her with a hoarse voice and scuppered her dreams.
She tells Broadway.com, "Yes, I did (audition for Fantine). I sang my little heart out... The jazz hands kid inside me was just over the moon! (But) I auditioned with laryngitis. I did everything I could to, like, not have laryngitis.
"Looking at the film now, there's no possible way I ever could have topped that performance (by Hathaway). It was perfect and I think fateful and meant to be".
It wasn't Johansson's first time trying out for Les Miserables - she was previously in contention for the role of Fantine's daughter Cosette in the long-running Broadway show.
She explains, "The audition itself (for Hooper) brought back so many memories of auditioning for Les Mis for the young Cosette, and it was fun for me to revisit that".
Tagged in Anne Hathaway Scarlett Johansson Les Miserables


text:
COVID-19 updates
Quality CareFind out why Mayo Clinic is the right place for your health care. Make an appointment.
Meet the StaffFind a directory of doctors and departments at all Mayo Clinic campuses. Visit now.
Research and Clinical TrialsSee how Mayo Clinic research and clinical trials advance the science of medicine and improve patient care. Explore now.
Visit Our SchoolsEducators at Mayo Clinic train tomorrow's leaders to deliver compassionate, high-value, safe patient care. Choose a degree.
Professional ServicesExplore Mayo Clinic's many resources and see jobs available for medical professionals. Get updates.
Philanthropy at Mayo ClinicYour support accelerates powerful innovations in patient care, research and education. Give today.
Mayo Clinic offers appointments in Arizona, Florida and Minnesota and at Mayo Clinic Health System locations.
Subscribe to Housecall
Our general interest e-newsletter keeps you up to date on a wide variety of health topics.
If you're looking for an air purifier that will eliminate cigarette smoke, you're out of luck.
Tobacco smoke is made up of gaseous pollutants and particulate matter. Most air purifiers, also called air cleaners, aren't designed to remove gaseous pollutants.
Mechanical air filters, such as high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) filters, and electronic air cleaners, such as ionizers, target particles. While air cleaning devices can help reduce levels of smaller airborne particles, research suggests that the devices aren't 100 percent effective. This might be due to the difficulty of cleaning particles from every room in a home, and the fact that many particles from secondhand smoke are on the surfaces of furniture and clothing. When someone touches these surfaces, the particles become airborne again and are breathed in before they can be filtered. Air cleaners also might not decrease harmful health effects caused by indoor pollutants such as cigarette smoke.
Other air cleaners generate ozone, which is a lung irritant. At levels that don't exceed public health standards, ozone has little ability to remove air contaminants such as cigarette smoke.
The best way to protect nonsmokers from secondhand smoke is to not allow smoking in your home. If you smoke, this is another good reason to stop.
J. Taylor Hays, M.D.
Mayo Clinic does not endorse companies or products. Advertising revenue supports our not-for-profit mission.
Check out these best-sellers and special offers on books and newsletters from Mayo Clinic.
Any use of this site constitutes your agreement to the Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy linked below.
A single copy of these materials may be reprinted for noncommercial personal use only. "Mayo," "Mayo Clinic," "MayoClinic.org," "Mayo Clinic Healthy Living," and the triple-shield Mayo Clinic logo are trademarks of Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research.
This site complies with the HONcode standard for trustworthy health information: verify here.


text:
Episode 1, Episode 2, Episode 3 JR 1/12/2010 02:44:00 PM Tweet Edit
_______________________________________________________________« Prev Post Next Post »
"Dwayne you're 7'4"- that's what all his coaches used to say it's just they follow it with "can't you grab a rebound?"
Bee season's coming up lol...
"Honey, beach season is almost upon us" I think is the line. And an awesome line at that. When he slams the pot down he says "doink" which I believe was the phrase he'd use when dunking on Ewing and Hakeem. Vazzooooooooo!
Does he say "doink" it sounds like "done" lol. Maybe I need my ears checked.
You'd think it's "beach season" but remember one of the videos coming up with the bees lol....
Bees episode? Spoiler alert!


text:
"You never know when someone is going to be ready to change their life. My hope for everyone who comes to Homeward Bound is that they get all the support that I did.�
-Conrad, homeless from 1984 to 1991; former Homeward Bound counselor and member of board of directors.
Nearly 10 percent of Marin County residents are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless every year. And more than 6,000 people in Marin will find themselves homeless this year. They include 1,200 children, their parents, single adults, couples, people with mental-health disabilities, and the elderly.
Homeward Bound is the chief provider of transitional and long-term housing and support services for homeless people in Marin County. We provide a safe place to stay for approximately 2,000 people, including 200 or more children, each year.
Contact Information
Homeward Bound of Marin
199 Greenfield Ave, 2nd Floor
San Rafael, CA 94901-2622


text:
With mandatory paid sick-leave policies recently put in place in New Jersey's two largest cities, lawmakers and advocates are now calling for a statewide measure.State Sen. Loretta Weinberg (D-Teaneck) and Assemblywoman Pamela Lampitt (D-Voorhees) joined members of the NJ Time to Care Coalition Tuesday in Trenton to announce their sponsorship of identical bills in both houses of the Legislature mandating that full- and part-time workers be allowed to earn one hour of paid sick-leave for every 30 hours worked.
Under the bills, which were reintroduced earlier this year, there is a 40-hour per year cap for businesses with nine or fewer employees and a 72-hour per year cap for businesses with 10 or more workers. Unless an employer decides to begin offering paid sick days at an earlier date, workers may begin accruing sick time 90 days after he or she was hired.
"Workers who need time off to care for themselves or a family member should not be forced to make the unfair choice between their health and a paycheck," Weinberg said. "Guaranteeing a minimum standard of earned sick leave for all workers is the compassionate and the sensible thing to do for our state. It will create a healthier and safer work environment for employees, but also will protect the health of the public."
Businesses, Weinberg added, "will benefit from these improved conditions."
"This bill is the result of a collaboration between our office, advocates and the business community," Lampitt said. "It's the right thing to do for workers, but it will also improve public health. Recent research shows that the policy will also have a positive effect on businesses and the economy."
Jersey City led the push at the municipal level, passing a similar ordinance last year that went into effect in January. Newark then followed with its own version of the policy.
"Victories for earned sick days in Jersey City and Newark have put New Jersey at the forefront of this nationwide fight for economic security," New Jersey Citizen Action executive director and coalition member Phyllis Salowe-Kaye said. "Now advocates and elected officials are building on that momentum to enact earned sick days statewide."
Having passed mandatory paid sick-leave legislation in 2011, Connecticut remains the only state to have done so. At the municipal level, however, policies are in place for cities nationwide including San Francisco, Washington, D.C., New York and Seattle.
The coalition claims that if passed, New Jersey's bill would be stronger than Connecticut's because it would provide paid sick time regardless of the size of certain businesses.
According to NJ Working Families Alliance executive director and coalition member Analilia Mejia, there are currently some 1.1 million workers in New Jersey who are unable to earn sick days.
"Denying workers paid sick days is inhumane and the right to earn paid sick days should be extended to every single worker in New Jersey," Mejia said.
Statewide business groups have been vocal in their opposition to the municipal ordinances in Jersey City and Newark, claiming their regulatory nature will eventually hurt small businesses.
Green developer Jonathan F. P. Rose preaches sustainability with South Orange site
NJBIZ names the 2014 General Counsel of the Year finalists
Small business owners: Stronger NJ grant process not working


text:
You can order spare parts or accessories online.
Order spare parts or extra accessories via Fox International with Philips Parts and Accessories Online:
Buy an extra accessory in the Philips Online Shop:
If you have problems ordering spare parts/ accessories:
Click in the top right-hand corner of your screen to find the Consumer Care Center number. You can also start a chat session.
Was this document helpful?


text:
Victor, Idaho (March 5, 2012) — Spring 2012 marks the 15th anniversary of CityPASS®, the company that packages—at tremendous savings—the top attractions in 11 North American destinations. Launched simultaneously in San Francisco and Seattle in 1997, CityPASS is the brainchild of co-CEOs Mike Gallagher and Mike Morey, who parlayed their respective attraction marketing and industry research skills into the creation of an easy-to-use pass offering prepaid admission—and often line-skipping VIP access—to a city's most popular sights."It's our partner attractions and destinations that make CityPASS such a terrific product," Gallagher says. "When it comes to places to go and things to see, these are the most famous, not-to-be-missed sights."
Fifteen years and eight million CityPASSes later, travelers agree. A July 2011 survey of CityPASS visitors in New York City found that 99 percent said they would recommend CityPASS to their friends and family members. And in the "Reviews" section of the CityPASS website, travelers give the passes an average rating of 4.8 out of 5 stars.
"One of the reasons we've achieved such high customer satisfaction numbers is because we limit the pass to the top five or six attractions in each city, making it easy for visitors to enjoy the sights over a weekend or during a longer vacation —without ever feeling rushed," said Mike Morey. "We never wanted customers to feel like they had to race from attraction to attraction to get their money's worth."
In celebration of its 15th anniversary, CityPASS is launching a "Happy Traveler Getaway" that will give away two trips for two to any CityPASS destination. In addition to two CityPASS tickets for the respective destination, winners will receive round-trip airfare for two, a four-night hotel stay, an allowance for a full-sized car rental or public transportation, and $1,000 to use toward meals, shopping and other expenses (estimated value $6,000 per package). The contest is open to U.S and Canadian residents; for more information, visit CityTraveler.com/happytraveler.
The company has also created a 15th anniversary infographic that uses a colorful time line and engaging artwork to chart CityPASS's history.
CityPASS, the premier product for travelers who want to visit a destination's top attractions while enjoying significant savings of up to 50 percent, is available in New York City, Atlanta, Boston, Chicago, Hollywood, Houston, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, Toronto and Southern California. Visit CityPASS.com.
CityPASS® and City Pass® are registered trademarks of City Pass, Inc., and the exclusive property of City Pass, Inc.


text:
With "Niche" channels, we will now focus on websites that are targeted to a particular industry or topic; for example, a blog, directory or search engine that strictly shows information for electronics only. A niche channel is another area where you can find targeted prospects for your business. The ideal strategy to use is to combine local and niche channels together in your marketing.
So if you're selling furniture in Texas, then you would want to target websites that are locally in Texas and are about furniture.
Here are different niche channels which you can utilize to market your business online.
Niche Directories
Niche directories are directories that only allow submissions from businesses that are related to the niche. For example, if your business sells classic cars, then you should submit your website to directories that specialize in classic cars only.
The benefits of submitting to niche directories are:
1. Search Engine Optimization
Major search engines such as Google and Yahoo rank the niche directories high for keywords related to the niche. Since the directories have a link to your website, the latter will rank high for the keywords also.
So if your business sells accessories for vintage classic cars and it appears in a classic car directory under the category Accessories, then you may rank higher compared to other businesses for the keywords "classic car" and "accessories".
The number of related websites with links to your business website affects your ranking in the search engines. The more the merrier.
Your task is to find as many niche directories as possible, and submit your business website to them. A lot of these directories are free so the only cost is your time for the submission process.
There are some niche directories that accept payment to be listed in them. These directories normally have fewer listings because most business owners don't want to pay. However, the quality of these paid niche directories are better than the free ones and normally rank well on the search engines.
If you're considering paying for a listing in a niche directory, spend some time and look at the directory you're considering. See if the Google™ Page Rank is high compared to the free Niche Directories. Page Rank is Google's way to show that a website is an authority in its industry. A Page Rank of 4 or higher is good.
To check a website's Page Rank, you can install the Google™ Toolbar at Alternatively, if you don't like to install an extra toolbar on your browser, you can check a website's page rank at
If the niche directory has a good page rank (i.e. 4 or higher), then you can also check to see if it gets many visitors.
For a rough estimate of how much traffic a website has on average, you can use the Alexa tool at Just type in the URL of the website and get an estimate of how much traffic the website receives.
Next you can do an online search for the niche directory and read about other people's views. You will know a lot about a directory based on other people's feedback in forums and blogs.
Based on the PageRank, traffic and other people's comments, you can justify to see if it's worth paying the money to be listed in that particular paid niche directory.
Here's a list of niche directories:
Alternatively, you can use the search engine and type in <
By listing your business website in the targeted categories of the directory, you are exposing your products and services to targeted buyers. Think about it.
People who visit a niche directory and have dug deeper within the categories, are there for one reason only. They have a need and they're looking for a solution. They're looking for businesses that specialize in what they want. Plus they want to buy.
When they see your business listed in a certain category, you have a chance of making a sale. It now depends on the decision of the buyer, whether to purchase from you or your competitors who are also listed in the same categories.
Their decision will depend upon whether your business is located near them, if you have a telephone number they can use to call someone, the prices of your products and services, and the professional way on how your business is described in the listing.
Niche directories are very important for listing your business websites. They can get you targeted visitors to your website and help you rank higher in the search engines for your keywords.
The best part is submitting your website to niche directories is cheap and free most of the time, an excellent way to market your business online in an affordable manner. Great for all budget ranges.


text:
keys locked inside your car in Benson
If you have locked your keys inside your car or Van in Benson, then Contact gary from auto locksmiths oxfordshire located near Benson for a quick and professional emergency vehicle opening service, from the initial call to us to you getting back inside your car is usually less than 45 minutes in Benson, To gain entry to cars and vans our auto locksmith based near Benson, Oxfordshire will pick open your car or vans locks using specialist tools to ensure we gain entry to your car 100% damage free.
cut and programmed car, van & motorcycle keys in Benson
ooking to get a spare car, van or motorcycle key cut and programmed in Oxfordshire, but put off by the cost from the main dealers, auto locksmiths based near Benson can supply a range of spare key options for your vehicle included cut only keys through to fully programmed remote keys, please contact your local Benson auto locksmith for a price and availability for your make, model and year of vehicle.
lost your car van or bike keys in Benson
should you lose your only working car key in Benson, getting a fully working replacement can be extremely costly and time consuming, auto locksmiths based near Benson can usually help in this situatuation as we can supply cut and programmed keys for over 80% of modern cars when all keys have been lost or stolen, please contact Gary for a quotation and availability of this service for you make, model and year of vehicle.


text:
Apple's Steve Jobs saw the potential in Siri back when it was a standalone application, but when it came to integrating the software into the iPhone as a virtual assistant he was resistant to keeping the name Siri, according to Siri co-founder (and former CEO) Dag Kittlaus.
Speaking at the Chicago startup event Technori Pitch yesterday, Kittlaus regaled the story of how he came up with the name Siri, and Steve Job's initial hesitance to keeping the name, reports Network World.
Shortly after the iPhone 4S release last October, Siri quickly reached iconic status in popular culture. It was partly due to Siri's sometimes magical capabilities, and partly to Apple's slick marketing efforts. But Siri's simple and unusual name likely helped cement it into the public mind as well.
Kittlaus explained that Siri means "beautiful woman who leads you to victory" in Norwegian, and it was also a name he was saving for his future daughter. But after his first child ended up being a boy, he ended up shelving the name until it came time to name his software.
During his discussions with Apple, he pushed to keep the name even though Jobs wanted to use something else. After failing to find an alternative, Siri ended up being the name of Apple's new virtual assistant in the iPhone 4S. As Network World notes, Jobs was similarly hesitant to the names iMac and iPod — and look how that turned out.
Kittlaus described how Jobs initially got in touch with him, as recounted by Network World:
Three weeks after we launched I got a call in the office from someone at Apple that said, "Scott Forstall wants to talk to you and he's the head software guy."
And I said sure…
Only it wasn't Scott that called it was Steve. And Steve never announces where he's gonna be and what he's gonna do because there's too much commotion around it. So he said, "Dag, this is Steve Jobs."
And he wanted me to come over to his house the next day, and I did, and I spent 3 hours with him in front of his fireplace having this surreal conversation about the future.
And, you know, he talked about why Apple was going to win, and we talked about how Siri was doing. And he was very excited about the fact that.. you know, he was very interested in this area in general but, you know, they're patient, they don't jump on anything until they feel they can go after something new and he felt that we cracked it. So that was his attraction.
I ended up very lucky, timing wise. I got to work with him for a year before he got real sick. And he's pretty incredible. The stories are true. All of the stories.
For more tech news, follow us on Twitter @venturenaut. And don't forget to sign up for the weekly BizTech newsletter.


text:
National Shrine of Our Lady of Prompt Succor New Orleans, LA
« Back to Categories
Lighting Control Systems are convenient ways to manage and operate your interior and exterior lighting.
Emergency Lighting Systems allow your facility to maintain lighting in the event of a power loss.
Intelligent Lighting Systems efficiently and automatically operate your facility based on your specific needs.
Rex A. Hymel Co., Inc. is an authorized sales and servicing partner for most major lighting brands.


text:
Drink Green Tea For Healthy Teeth And Gums - 0 views
shared by Matti Narkia on 10 Mar 09 - Cached
Matti Narkia on 10 Mar 09A study recently published in the Journal of Periodontology, uncovered yet another benefit of green tea consumption. Researchers found that routine intake of green tea may also help promote healthy teeth and gums. The study analyzed the periodontal health of 940 men, and found that those who regularly drank green tea had superior periodontal health than subjects that consumed less green tea.


text:
St Catherine's Monastery and Mount Sinai
Venerated by Christians, Jews and Muslims as the site of God's revelation of the Ten Commandments, Mount Sinai overlooks the valley where Moses is said to have heard the Lord speaking from a burning bush.
The bush is now enshrined in St Catherine's Monastery, nestling in a valley at the foot of the Mount, surrounded by high walls and lush gardens. As tourists have followed pilgrims in ever greater numbers, the sacred mount has witnessed unseemly quarrels between Bedouin over the shrinking amount of sleeping space for the climbers at the peak, and the monastery itself shows signs of strain. Yet for most travellers it remains a compelling visit, while other seldom visited peaks offer equally magnificent views if you're prepared to make the effort to reach them.
The Monastery of St Catherine
The Greek Orthodox Monastery of St Catherine dates back to 337 AD, when the Byzantine Empress Helena ordered the construction of a chapel around the putative Burning Bush, already a focus for hermits and pilgrimages. Since then, the monastery has had cycles of expansion and decline, on occasion being totally deserted. Most of the monks today have come here from the monasteries of Mount Athos in Greece.
Kléber's Tower and the walls
Entrance is through a small gate in the northern wall near Kléber's Tower (named after the Napoleonic general who ordered its reconstruction) rather than the main west-facing portal, which has a funnel that was used for pouring boiling oil onto attackers. Built of granite, 10–15m high and 2–3m thick, St Catherine's walls are essentially unchanged since Stephanos Ailisios designed them in the sixth century.
Moses' Well and the Burning Bush
As you emerge from the passage, a right turn takes you past Moses' Well, where the then fugitive from Egypt met Zipporah, one of Jethro's seven daughters, whom he married at the age of 40. Walking the other way and around the corner, you'll see a thorny evergreen bush outgrowing an enclosure. This is the transplanted descendant of the Burning Bush whence God spoke to Moses: "Come now therefore, and I will send thee unto Pharaoh, that thou mayest bring forth my people the children of Israel out of Egypt" (Exodus 3:10). Sceptics may be swayed by the fact that it's the only bush of its kind in the entire peninsula and that all attempts to grow cuttings from it elsewhere have failed. The bush was moved to its present site when Helena's chapel was built over its roots, behind the apse of St Catherine's church.
Nearby is the Monastery Museum (£E50), which has Byzantine icons, crosses and chalices, reams of aged manuscripts, fragments of the world's oldest bible and other pieces from the library. Exhibits are labelled in English and Arabic.
St Catherine's Church
A granite basilica, St Catherine's Church was erected by Justinian between 542 and 551; the walls and pillars and the cedarwood doors between the narthex and nave are all original. Its twelve pillars – representing the months of the year and hung with icons of the saints venerated during each one – have ornately carved capitals, loaded with symbolism.
At the far end, behind the iconostasis is the Chapel of the Burning Bush, only viewable by special dispensation. The narthex displays a selection of the monastery's vast collection of icons, running the gamut of Byzantine styles and techniques, from encaustic wax to tempera. The church's bell is rung 33 times to rouse the monks before dawn.
The rest of the monastery
Other parts of the monastery are usually closed to lay people. Among them are an eleventh-century mosque, added to placate Muslim rulers; a library of over three thousand manuscripts and five thousand books; and a refectory with Gothic arches and Byzantine murals. You can usually enter the charnel house, however, which is heaped with monks' skeletons; the cemetery itself is small, so corpses have to be disinterred after a year and moved into the ossuary. The cadaver in vestments is Stephanos, a sixth-century guardian of one of the routes to the Mount.
Mount Sinai
While some archeologists question whether Mount Sinai really was the Biblical mountain where Moses received the Ten Commandments, it's hard not to agree with the nineteenth-century American explorer John Lloyd Stephens that "among all the stupendous works of Nature, not a place can be selected more fitting for the exhibition of Almighty power". Its loftiest peak, a craggy, sheer-faced massif of grey and red granite "like a vengeful dagger that was dipped in blood many ages ago", rises 2285m above sea level. Strictly speaking, it's only this that the Bedouin call Jebel Musa ("Mount Moses"), though the name is commonly applied to the whole massif. Some Biblical scholars reckon that Moses proclaimed the Commandments from Ras Safsafa, at the opposite end of the ridge, which overlooks a wide valley where the Israelites could have camped.
Many people ascend by the camel path and descend by the Steps of Repentance. You could start your ascent around 5pm (earlier during winter) to avoid the worst of the heat and arrive in time to watch the spellbinding sunset and then sleep overnight at the summit. With a torch, you could also climb the camel path (but not the steps) by night, though not during winter.
The camel path
You'll have to hire a Bedouin guide (£E125) to climb the mountain; don't let them hurry you – do it at your own pace. The longer but easier route is via the switchback camel path, starting 50m behind the monastery. It's possible to rent a camel for most of the ascent (around £E110), but it's really worth the effort of walking (2–3hr). You can stock up on water at the shops outside the monastery before setting off, and there are refreshment stalls along the way. Prices rise the higher you go, but restocking on the mountain saves you carrying extra weight right at the start. Bedouin entrepreneurs at the peak rent out blankets and mattresses for the night (£E10–20).
Steps of Repentance
Beyond the cleft below the summit, the path is joined by the second route up the mountain, known as the Sikket Saiyidna Musa ("Path of Our Lord Moses") or Steps of Repentance. Hewn by a penitent monk, the 3750 steps make a quicker but much steeper ascent from the monastery (1hr 30min), which is hell on the leg muscles; some of the steps are a metre high. Two buildings top the summit, a mosque and a Greek Orthodox church, both usually locked. Next to the mosque is the cave where God sheltered Moses: "I will put thee in a cleft of the rock, and will cover thee with my hand while I pass over" (Exodus 33:22). A little lower down the slope, a bunch of semi-permanent structures have sprung up, offering weary travellers a place to sleep.
Around 300m below the summit you enter a depression known as the Plain of Cypresses or Elijah's Hollow, where pilgrims pray and sing; a five hundred year-old cypress tree stands here. This is also where Elijah is believed to have heard God's voice (I Kings 19:9–18) and hid from Jezebel, being fed by ravens. One of the two chapels is dedicated to him, the other to his successor, Elisha.
Find out more
The interior
Book through Rough Guides' trusted travel partners
Egypt features
The latest articles, galleries, quizzes and videos.


text:
Appreciation: Watch the price skyrocket!
ADDRESS: 702 Meridian Street
NEIGHBORHOOD: North Belmont
SIZE: 708 finished square feet
LAND: .053 acres
CURB APPEAL: 7 out of 10
LISTED BY: Travis Wilburn of Prudential Charlotte Ramsey Realty 296-7171
The sales history of this tiny house just off Monticello Avenue provides an interesting snapshot of the local real estate market over the last 10-15 years.
In 1994 its modest 700 square feet fetched $16,500. (Fun to imagine what the previous owner must have paid!) Seven years later, in 2001, that owner sold for $69,300, more than four times his initial investment. The new owner did almost as well when she sold the house for $130,000 in 2005, nearly doubling the price in four years.
But the current owners hope to top them all– they're trying to realize a $54,500 gain in six months, with an asking price that represents an increase of 11.2 times the selling price 12 years ago.
Certainly it's true that sales figures don't tell the whole story– improvements have had to be made along the way. The heat is now provided by a free-standing gas unit in the living room and baseboard electric elsewhere. Since there's no evidence of radiators, it's possible that the house that sold for $16,500 might have had a woodstove as its primary heating system.
A house this size built in 1925 probably had indoor plumbing (nearby Clark School was built just six years later, in 1931) and cooking facilities, but they've no doubt also been updated along the way.
The current owners have erected a big fence around the place, which– while providing private quarters for a dog– also blocks the house almost entirely from view and makes what's a tiny yard to begin with practically disappear. A new owner without dogs will probably want to dismantle the fence right away– or at least move it to the edge of the yard and open the house up to view.
Because the view isn't bad. Like many compact places, this house has a cozy charm that's especially appealing on a cold winter day. The large living room, small office, one bedroom and kitchen are graced by pretty pine floors (vinyl in the kitchen) that seem to have been cared for over the years and add a rich warmth to the rooms.
The ceilings are higher than might be expected in a modest home of this vintage, and the exterior stucco seems to be in good repair. The metal roof has no problems, according to the agent, and the chimney is in good enough shape to vent the gas heating unit in the living room. (A new owner might consider one of those pretty new free-standing gas stoves– it would bump up the charm factor considerably.)
The best aspect of the house is the large, almost floor-to-ceiling windows (two over two), which– miraculously– have not been replaced with vinyl substitutes, seemingly all the rage in renovations these days. They admit lots of light and expand the small space visually in all the rooms– even providing views of mountains from the bedroom.
Mention of views raises the question of expansion, and mention of the mountains raises the idea of raising the roof– expanding upward (since there's nowhere on the ground to expand). Not being engineers, we don't know the feasibility of adding a second story, but it's certainly an idea any buyer with the means might want to explore, to capitalize on the mountain views as well as to add living space.
There's no basement, and the attic, accessed by a pull-down staircase and big enough to stand up in, has plenty of room for storage, according to the agent. There's a small pantry (with window) off the kitchen. The compact bathroom has one of the great windows over an old claw-foot tub rigged up with a shower conversion kit.
The house is well positioned for someone who wants life in the city without a car. Belmont Baptist Church is right across the street, Clark school two blocks away, and all the amenities of the Downtown Mall within easy walking distance. A CTS bus runs right up Monticello Avenue.
So even without taking the multiplier effect into account (just think, $184,500 today, $240,000 in July? 700 square feet?), the little house offers convenience and charm. Even though tiny, for someone looking for "affordable," it's an alternative in a rapidly renewing neighborhood to one of the cookie-cutter condominiums morphing from apartments all over town .


text:
Schools & Colleges
A-Z Index | Find a Health Care Provider
Contact Us | Maps and Parking
Biostatistical Support & Consulting for MSA Clinics--The Mentored Scholarly Activity (MSA) program has contracted with the Colorado Biostatistics Consortium (CBC) and the Department of Biostatistics and Informatics to develop a biostatistics consulting resource that is available to all medical students when working on their MSA project. This service is free of charge to MSA students.
Clinical Trials Training Program, CCTSI - The Clinical Trials Training for Investigators and Coordinators (CTTIC) is designed to provide specialized training to research study coordinators and investigators. It consists of 24 hours of content and is delivered by staff at UC Anschutz Medical Campus and affiliated institutions. While the curriculum is aimed at new investigators and coordinators, it may be recommended for investigators who are experiencing problems with COMIRB review, writing consent forms, protocol violations, or patient safety issues.
CCTSI Training and Education Website (Mentoring Resources) - The CCTSI is offering a new program called the Colorado Mentoring Training Program (CO-Mentor). CO-Mentor is designed to build mentoring capacity focusing on career development skills for mentors and mentees.UC Denver Center for Faculty Development - The Center for Faculty Development is here to help you improve your practice and develop your career. Use the Center and our resources to help you.COMIRB Getting Started - The Getting Started page will guide mentors and mentees through the process, including required training, to submit a protocol for approval.
Health Science Library - The MSA program has a librarian assigned for each of the 5 thematic areas who can help with professional grade searches for background sections of proposals and with systematic reviews.
© The Regents of the University of Colorado, a body corporate. All rights reserved.
Accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. All trademarks are registered property of the University. Used by permission only.


text:
Opioid Dependency and the Intolerability of Pain
The most vexing of all questions in the debate over long-term opioid management for pain is subtle, difficult to articulate, and rarely considered. It lies at the heart of whether and how we maintain patients with severe pain on long-term opioids or whether we help them learn to self-manage it instead.
This most vexing of questions involves how we understand the nature of pain severity and its relationship to its degree of tolerability in the long-term opioid management patient. For depending on how we understand the intolerability of severe pain, it leads to contradictory treatment considerations among well-meaning, competent patients and providers, and even within the larger society.
Opioids, or narcotic pain medications, are commonly thought of as powerful pain relievers. Patients frequently request them and healthcare providers often prescribe them for back pain because they think that opioids are the most effective pain reliving treatment. Popular media and others in society also commonly think that without opioids patients will suffer intolerable or "intractable" back pain. The implication is that, again, opioids are the most powerful and effective pain reliever.
But are they the most effective pain relieving treatment for back pain?
Few topics in healthcare generate more passion than the use of opioid medications for chronic, non-cancer pain. Some, in the debate, lead the charge for greater access to opioids, arguing fervently that these medications are under-prescribed, while others call for more limited access, arguing that opioids are over-prescribed. The central focus for these strong feelings is typically the issue of addiction, but other issues commonly receive attention as well, such as the effectiveness of opioids and humanitarian calls to alleviate suffering.
Opioid Management
Opioid, or narcotic, pain medications are beneficial in many ways. Patients with pain from terminal cancer benefit from their use. Patients benefit from their short-term use when recovering from an acute injury or following a painful surgical procedure. However, the long-term use of opioid medications for chronic, noncancer pain remains quite controversial.


text:
These 6 Ohm, 50 Watt resistors can be connected across the turn signal bulbs to simulate the load of a regular filament bulb. This will solve LED related turn signal problems such as hyper flashing, no flashing or burnt out bulb indications. One resistor is required for each turn signal bulb.
Can be used with LED turn light of cars
Beautiful golden aluminium housing
Excellent heat dissipation
With 4 inches(10 cm) wire at each end of the resistor, easy to install
Power: 50W
Resistance: 6 ohm
Dimensions: Approx. 5(L) X 2.8(W) X 1.5(H)cm(1.97 X 1.1 X 0.6 inch)
Package Includes:
2 X resistor


text:
519 Laurel Hill Rd | Smock, PA 15480
4 Miles North of Uniontown on Route 51
This is not an offer for credit and should be used for estimation purposes only based on the information you provided. You should not base your decision on this estimate alone. Title, registration, tax and other fees, and personal circumstances such as employment status and personal credit history, were not considered in the calculations.
Front - Dual 220 mm ventilated disc brakes with hydraulic twin-piston calipers
Rear - Dual 220 mm ventilated disc brakes with hydraulic single-piston caliper
Front - Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 27 x 9 x 14 in. (68.6 x 22.9 x 35.6 cm)
Rear - Maxxis Bighorn 2.0 27 x 11 x 14 in. (68.6 x 27.9 x 35.6 cm)
Gauge - 4.5 in. (11.4 cm) wide digital display:Speedometer, tachometer, odometer, trip and hour meters,fuel, gear position, ECO / ECO Off / Work modes, seat belt,diagnostics, clock, battery voltage, engine temperature
Lighter type DC outlet in console (20A)
Arched double A-arm / 11 in. (27.9 cm) travel
Shocks - Twin tube gas charged shocks
Rear - Arched TTA with external sway bar / 11 in. (27.9 cm) travel
Shocks - win tube gas charged shocks
3-Person Capacity
VERSA-PRO bench seat with passenger seats flipping up, undersidehooks and contoured bench to improve entrance/exit of the cab
Hyper Silver
Category: Utility Vehicles


text:
Editor's note: This story first appeared in the September 2011 issue of Dairy Herd Management. The story is still relevant today, especially considering the high cost of feed.
Four years ago, Mike Meier considered selling his cows and leaving the dairy industry. His father was retiring and his brother didn't want to be involved anymore. Meier didn't think it was feasible to farm all by himself. Then, he decided to give grazing a try.
He hasn't looked back since.
It was the right decision for Meier —and a step forward rather than backwards. To think of grazing as old-fashioned is wrong, says Phil Wicks, general manager of LIC USA, a leader in grazing technologies. "Grazing is at the top end when it comes to technology, and it's all about farming as efficiently and economically as possible."
Many experts feel that grazing could play a more important role in the dairy industry. "We could see 15 percent of the U.S. milk supply coming from grazing operations," says Jay Waldvogel, senior vice president for strategy and international development with Dairy Farmers of America. "Grazing also holds the potential to revive the Southeast milk shed."
Here's a look at why the climate is right for grazing.
Less volatile
Volatile feed prices have been a problem for dairy farmers in recent years.
Grazing operations are largely buffered from this. Grazing operations still feed supplements of grain and silage, but the aim is to minimize the amount fed.
"You're still subject to milk-price volatility, but you can take away the volatility of corn prices. This offers more protection and allows dairymen to duck their head under the bad cycles," says Waldvogel.
As a result of fewer ties to the commodity market, grazing operations tend to have a lower cost of production. With a lower cost of production, these operations may find it easier to weather the storm of low milk prices. "Depending upon the farm, cost of production can be anywhere from $1 to $2 lower per hundredweight than a conventional herd," says Larry Tranel, extension specialist with Iowa State University.
Kris Wardin, owner of Evergreen Dairy, a 300-cow grazing operation in St. Johns, Mich., agrees. "Our cost of production has been below $10 per hundredweight, but with recent capital investments, including center-pivot irrigation, our cost varies now between $12 and $14 per hundredweight," he says.
Wardin and his wife, Carla, returned to her parents" operation five years ago and have invested solidly into grazing.
Pasture management is where the margins come in, says Joe Horner, dairy economist with the University of Missouri Extension. "If you can get three-quarters of the feed eaten by the cow in the pasture, that's where you save." Grazed grass can cost 3 to 5 cents per pound for dry matter compared to a total mixed ration at 12 to 14 cents.
Labor and health advantages
Issues that surround immigration and labor availability are not soon resolved, but grazing farms have need of less labor. A typical operation will have one full-time person per 125 cows.
"I work with a 600-cow dairy that is run with three employees," says Horner. "I've seen other farms go up to 200 cows per person with some seasonal help hired during the calving season. It's a very labor-efficient system."
Improved herd health is a benefit grazing operations tend to see.
"We don't seem to have some of the animal-health problems that are associated with conventional operations," says Peter Gaul, general manager of Tribute Farms in Missouri. Gaul has 25 years of grazing experience in New Zealand and moved to the U.S. four years ago.
Gaul attributes improved cow health to the fact that cows spend most of the time outdoors and rotate pasture every 12 hours, so organisms do not have a chance to concentrate in one area. Cows also spend less time on concrete, which contributes to better feet and legs.
In a grazing set-up, manure is spread automatically by the cow. This results in reduced manure handling and can result in much better nutrient use in the fields. However, stocking rates have to be right and the paddocks have to be set up and rotated correctly so manure is distributed evenly.
Marketing opportunities abound
The dairy case is increasingly dotted with different product claims: rbST-free, local, organic. This could offer an opportunity to market milk from grazing operations differently, explains Waldvogel.
Grazing is extremely adaptable. It does not have to mean a 100 percent grazing platform. It can range from a farm that gets 60 to 70 percent dry matter from grazing with added supplementation of corn silage and concentrates to a system that is full confinement for milking cows and grazing for dry cows and heifers.
"Simply upgrading 'weed filled summer heifer pastures" to quality well-managed pastures can have an impact on feed and overall farm cost," explains Waldvogel. "Potential benefits to farmers from grazing covers a much wider range of dairy systems. Too often, farmers read 'grazing" and think of the New Zealand-style, pure grass and milk production of 8,000 pounds of milk per cow per year."
Next generation
Grazing also offers young people a chance to get involved with dairying.
"The most exciting thing about grazing to me is the opportunity it offers for young people," explains Wicks. "It's very difficult to get into the dairy business if your parents don't have an existing farm or a couple million dollars in assets," he adds.
Grazing doesn't require as much capital investment, which makes it easier to get into the business.
Don't be fooled; grazing is not easy, says Gaul. It is much easier to push a button and have TMR fed to a cow. There are far more management variables to grazing, and some people jump into grazing without thinking it all the way through. But the profits can be there, he says.
Pasture know-how
The most important piece to a successful grazing operation is pasture management.
It's not as simple as planting an 80-acre field of grass. Pastures have to be micro-managed. A tool to help manage pasture is the grazing wedge. This device allows farms to measure consumption and growth rate of pastures. "The grazing wedge allows me to calculate how many pounds of dry matter per acre are in the pasture. Based on this calculation, if I have excess forage, I'll put it up for the winter months. If I don't have enough, I know to bring in feed to maintain dry matter levels," says Mike Meier, owner of Meier Dairy in Missouri. "Looking 30 days out, I know what I'm going to have or not have for forages."
The University of Missouri offers an online version of the grazing wedge. To access the grazing wedge, go to: http://bit.ly/nMCm4U


text:
"Ballet, like other pursuits that require immense determination and reward showmanship, seems to foster hubris. But maybe all art fosters hubris," p. 212.
'Astonish Me' is a novel about the mysterious world of professional ballet. Dancers seem to punish their bodies and their souls. Ever hungry and hungry for perfection, they work till the blood soaks through their slippers and their relationships crumble around their feet. Perfection is only barely good enough. "You can't be weak in the ballet or it will crush you," p. 129. All this sacrifice and discipline and determination is to be one of the few who can make it to the top. These are the ones who excel at this demanding dance and create such beauty on stage.
This is the first novel I have read by Maggie Shipstead and I must say I enjoyed her writing. This work of fiction follows two generations of professional ballet dancers. The world she creates seems to be divided into dancers and non-dancers. There's not a lot of plot in the book but the story never lagged. It was a powerful insight into a world I was unfamiliar with. Some reviewers appreciated the subject of this novel, but preferred her other novel Seating Arrangements.


text:
Earth blocks are also referred to as ground terminal blocks and earth terminals. They are used for grounding and earthing wires to protect people and equipment from interference such as electrical or magnetic fields.
Earth blocks are easily identifiable with a green and yellow housing and can be mounted onto a DIN rail. Connection methods for the wires include screw and clamp.
The terminals have excellent electrical, mechanical and chemical characteristics even at high temperatures.
Earth blocks are used worldwide in distribution boards, control centres and machine control systems such as ships and power stations.


text:
OPEN INTERNET (2011) - Aram Bartholl
Elements of Vogue: A Conversation with Ultra-red
Ultra-red is an activist art group founded in 1994. The group proposes an alternate model for art and activism, one in which it is not the artist's critical intervention that serves as the source of cultural action, but rather that art might contribute to and challenge the process of collective organization and relationship building itself.
Required Reading
high-definition digital video; 1 minute 41 seconds; ed. of 3 + AP; courtesy the artist
Brooding, solitary and usually male, the trope of "the artist in the studio" has existed in multiple iterations throughout the history of art. From Rembrandt's workshop to the twentieth-century Parisian studios of Picasso, Braque and others, to Warhol's Factory, the studio contains within it an evolving narrative, albeit one that remains focused on a specific physical site of artistic production. In a particularly damning critique of this romantic construct, Daniel Buren posited in a 1971 essay, "The Function of the Studio," that the studio has a "simultaneously idealizing and ossifying function,"1 a state of "purgatory" that grants artists limited agency in the production and dissemination of their own work and culture at large. Buren's essay is a concise example of the postmodern conception of "post-studio" practice—a practice cultivated by the likes of Robert Smithson, who came to reject the confines of the physical studio as a site of production in favor of the unconfined natural landscape, or by John Baldessari's infamous "Post-Studio Art" class at CalArts, in which students were encouraged to "stop daubing away at canvases or chipping away at stone"2 and embrace a wider framework for art production. The influence of these artists is clearly evident in a range of contemporary artistic practices that continue to question traditional modes of production and dissemination.
The legacy of "post-studio" art is amplified for artists working with digital forms and online environments. Generally these types of practices are less an overt negation of the "ossifying" element of the studio and more a reflection of how the digital has changed cultural production at large. What happens when the studio in question is simply a laptop in ...
Videos from Wikitopia Festival
Videos of the keynote speeches by scholars Wendy Hui Kyong Chun and Hector Rodriguez from September's Wikitopia Festival at Videotage in Hong Kong have been posted. The event examined the Free Culture movement and its impact on practices of knowledge sharing and networked creativity.
New media has made possible new "vernacular" archives of knowledge—from wikipedia to del.icio.us—that are challenging their standard top-down counterparts. These archives are usually either celebrated as democratizing knowledge, or condemned as destroying it. Refusing either of these positions, this talk asks: what does opening up content do? What does the open both make possible and close down? Is open content enough? How, in other words, should the open be the beginning rather than the end of the discussion?
Marcel Mauss' classic study of The Gift introduced the principle of reciprocity, which has played a fundamental role in the evolution of modern social anthropology and critical theory. Mauss regarded the giving and receiving of gifts as a widespread cultural phenomenon. Although the gift often appears to have been spontaneously and freely offered, it is in fact obligatory. According to Mauss, it consists of "three obligations": the obligation to receive, to give, and to return. The exchange of gifts thus exemplifies a complex procedure of ritualized exchange.
The principle of reciprocity can be understood in at least two different ways. First of all, the study of gift exchange constitutes a prehistory of the modern contract. Mauss showed that modern market transactions grew ...
Performance, All Over the Map: On Chris Salter's "Entangled"
Chris Salter's Entangled is a massive undertaking and a book long overdue. In this ambitious project, Salter sets out to provide a historical overview of the intersections between technology and artistic performance in order to demonstrate the profound entanglement in the historical trajectories of both sets of practices and developments. Entangled seeks to address how technological developments have altered our making and perception of artistic performance and the socio-political, cultural and economic contexts of such developments (p. xiii). Furthermore, Salter understands the histories of new media arts, theater, and other stage-based artforms as divided in a tension between the technophilic and technophobic, and his investigation is an attempt to fill this gap.
Peter Sellars describes, in his Foreword to the book, Salter's approach as radically inclusive. Indeed, Salter sets out to frame an impressively diverse range of practices as performance. Those practices include, but are not limited to, theatre, opera, scenography, architecture, video art, installations, environments, sonic arts, robotics, media arts, live and body art, expressions of popular culture such as music gigs, and more. Entangled consists of eight chapters, each focusing on a different form. This distinction is not designed to separate disciplinary trajectories though; instead, it challenges disciplinary boundaries through its fluid narrative that consistently foregrounds intersections, crossovers and common histories.


text:
yea spawns are still terrible SHELLSHOCK - MODERN SEMI-REALISTIC GAME -------------- if you just go head-first into a project without knowing alot of what you are doing, you wont get anywhere. shellshock was a massive test, a place where i could teach myself how to make a game. i now know what im doing it just takes a little time -asbuff
Private Servers
There are currently no running games.


text:
18 LI police departments approved for Narcan heroin antidote, says state AG
Eighteen Long Island police departments have been approved to receive supplies of a heroin antidote under a 2-month-old state program, New York Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman will announce Wednesday.
The tally is more than double the eight Long Island agencies that requested nearly 200 kits of the antidote Narcan and training when Schneiderman's Community Overdose Program, or COP, started in April.
The police departments include Garden City and Great Neck Estates in Nassau County and Southampton Town and Southold in Suffolk County, the attorney general's office said.
"We are making this lifesaving overdose antidote available in every town, village and hamlet on Long Island," said Schneiderman's news release for Wednesday.
The program has approved 117 departments, including the NYPD, for $1.72 million in reimbursements to buy about 26,000 kits of Narcan, generically known as naloxone, and training.
Schneiderman will announce the figures at a Long Island Association breakfast in Melville.
Long Island's approvals rank second behind the Mid-Hudson Valley, where 35 departments were approved to receive more than $104,700 for more than 1,400 kits.
On Long Island the state program has approved $222,788 to buy 2,452 kits -- the most antidote reimbursements outside of the NYPD, which was approved for $1.2 million for 20,300 kits.
More than 200 agencies statewide applied, including 26 on Long Island.
Northport police, one of the 10 approved departments in Suffolk, have carried the drug since April, said Chief Eric "Ric" Bruckenthal. "If you are on heroin, it's going to ruin your high and bring you back," he said.
He said a Northport officer suggested the training about the time Schneiderman's office announced the program, which set aside $5 million from seized drug investigations.
Suffolk's police department was the state's first to take part in a 2012 trial program to equip officers with the drug. Nassau police officers also have been using Narcan. The departments credit the drug for saving many lives, including 199 people in Suffolk.
All Nassau officers will be trained to administer Narcan by July 1, acting Police Commissioner Thomas Krumpter said in an email. The agency also has offered training to village police departments.
Some EMTs in Nassau and Suffolk already administer the antidote.
The antidote, administered as a nasal spray, knocks out opiate molecules from the brainstem's nerve receptors. It has no major side effects and is inert when narcotics are in the body.
Heroin killed 121 people in Nassau and Suffolk counties in 2012 and at least 120 people last year -- the two highest totals ever recorded, county figures show.


text:
I'm working on improving a modeling formula and have spreadsheets worth of data to use, but my work so far has been quite tedious. I'm essentially pulling 20 rows of data from each separate sheet of a spreadsheet to put through the new formula, and I'm having to do a cell evaluation for each row rather than a single evaluation per sheet. As I said, it's getting tedious.
These can be declared first:
a = 0;
m = 34;
sheet = 1; (* which sheet of the spreadsheet I'm pulling from *)
r = 2; (* the first row I pull from *)
w = 8;
d = 4;
ex = .591;
For each sheet, these values (except
r) will be the same (as I'm having to change
r twenty times for each sheet). I then have this:
gs = Import["filename", {"Data", sheet, {r}, {6}}] + a
ga = Import["filename", { "Data", sheet, {r}, {7}}]
Here I pull the data from the sheet and row declared earlier, from static columns 6 and 7. From here, it's just plugging this data into the components of the formula:
y = ((gs + ga)/m)^ex
k = Gamma[1 + 1/y]
gsa = (gs/m) + 0.5
gaa = (ga/m) + 0.5
new = m*((3*N[Sum[-((Exp[-((k (c + 1))/gsa)^y] - Exp[-((k* c)/gsa)^y]) (1 -
Exp[-((k* c)/gaa)^y])), {c, 0, w}], 40]) +
N[Sum[(Exp[-((k (c + 1))/gsa)^y] -
Exp[-((k* c)/gsa)^y]) (Exp[-((k (c + 1))/gaa)^y] -
Exp[-((k* c)/gaa)^y]), {c, 0, d}], 40])
final = Ceiling[new]
Redundant statements: as of right now, for every row I want to import, I have to manually adjust
r for each evaluation. That's 20 tedious adjustments per sheet, and while it takes all of, like, ten seconds to then record the
final value and increase
r by 1, it's just not a feasible way of churning through volumes and volumes of data.
Is there a way to split this into two cells, with the first declaring everything before
gs, and the second giving the value of
final for each
r from 2 to 21? This would, quite honestly, be a 20x time saver. I'm just too unfamiliar with Mathematica (still on the trial, licensing when it expires) to figure out the matrix or loop (?) to save me the time.
Any help would be so, so, so appreciated.